Resilient coupling



April 2, 1929. A. H. LEIPERT 1,707,309

HESILIENT COUPLING Filed May 12.. 1925 a sheets-sheet 1 April 2, 1929.

Filed May 12, 1925 A. H. LEIPERT I RESILIENT COUPLING a sheets-sheet l2.

mvENToR 9906057 .1% xr/Pfff Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES iremos Pars/NT office.

AUGUST E. LEIPEBT, OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOB TO INTERNATIONAL MOTORCOMPANY, 0I' NEW YORK, N. Y.,

BESILIENT Application tiled Hay 12,

This invention relates to a resilient coupling or universal joint of thelrind in which' torsional stresses are transmitted between rotatableelements through yielding nonmetallic material which serves to cushionor absorb to a degree the shocks and stresses ordinarily set up in thetransmission of driving torque between `the respective elements. Theinvention has for its particular object the provision ofa constructioninvolving the use of blocks of yielding non-metallic material, which maybe retained under compression and through which driving forces aretransmitted, in a construction which shall be practical from thestandpoint of manufacture, ease of assembly and disassembly andeliicient in use. In accordance with the invention blocks of yieldingnon-metallic material are retained between seats carried with arms uponthe respective elements between which driving forces are to betransmitted, which seats are readily removable from the arms in theVinterest of ease of assembly of the blocks. The invention will be moreapparent 'from the following detailed description of the accompanying'drawings illus! trating a preferred embodiment thereof in which:

Figure l is a `viewfpartlyA in section and partly in elevation of auniversal joint or torque cushioning device according to the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a view taken in the plane lindicated by the line 2--2 inFigure l and looking in the direction of the arrows and showing themanner of attachment of the seats for the blocks of yieldingnon-metallic material to one of a pair of relatively movable members,say the driving member.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 and showing seats for theyielding non-metallic material carried with the other of the relativelymovable members and taken in the plane indicated by the line 3--3 inFigure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

It will be understood in connection with the following description thatalthough one of the relatively movable members is referred to throughoutas the driving member while the other member to which it is connected bythe resilient coupling according to the present invention is referred tothroughout as the A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

COUPLNG. k i

1925. Serial No. 29,632.

4driven member that this distinction is arbitrary and either of therelatively movable members may be the driving member or the drivenmember.`

Referring first to Figure 2" a driving member a is provided with aflange a or attachment, as by the bolts a2, to a co-operating liange ona transmission, brake unit, rear axle or the like. The driving member yais provided with a plurality of arms a3 or eX- tensions shown, in theillustrated embodiment, as two in number diametrically disposed withrespect to one another. rFliese arms are turned to cylindrical form asshown at a3* and have ke ways a4 milled therein for the reception olreys a5 adapted to posi- .tion the seats for the blocks of yieldingnon- 4metallic material in a manner which will be described moreparticularly hereinafter. Driving member a is formed interiorly with acylindrical recess a and centrally of the arms it is formed with aspherical seat portion a7 forming part of a centering device for theresilient couplin The driven member is indicated at c an is shown asalso provided with a pair of diametrically disposed arms c turned attheir ends as at c2 and milledfor key ways in a manner similar to thearms a3. Inwardly of the arms c driven member c is turned as at c toreceive a spherical centering member UZ which may be milled to receive alrey c* seated in a key way formed in the end c3 and secured by means ofanut c mounted on the threaded end c5 ot the extension c3. To retain thecentering device in i position a cap member f also formed with aspherical seat f may be secured as by the bolts f2 to driving member a.

Referring now to Figure 1 it will be observedthat the blocks of yieldingnon-metallic material g, g', g2 and gf3 are retained between seatscarried with the respective driving and driven arms a3, c1. Theseatsa're formed in individual seat members removablymounted on t-heturned ends a5 and c2. One set of seat members such as h, H is adaptedto be disposed upon the arms c2, a3, respectively, inwardly of otherseat members z', I. Each of the seat members or cups is formed withanapertured boss k', H', c", I to fit over the turned ends c2 and a3",respectively. Interiorly each boss is formed with i diametrieallydisposed key-ways 11.2, H2, 2

and I2 whereby the cup member is keyed against relative movement withrespect to the arm.y By the provision of diametrically disposed key waysthe cups, say L, H are interchangeable. The ends of the arms a3* and c2are threaded as at as and c? respectively, and adapted to receive nuts jwhich serve to secure the cup members in position on the arms. Betweenthe respective-oups h, H, z' and I, the blocks g, g', g2 and gs aredisposed under compression, t-he internal static pressurebeing set up inthe blocks during assemblyv of the device.

To assemble the resilient coupling according to the present inventionthe centering ball d is mounted upon the driven member c and disposedwithin'thespherical seat surface a?, whereafter the cap f is secured inplace by the bolts f2 toretain bolt d in place. Thus drivingmember a anddriven member c are centralized with respect to one another while at thesame time angular motion between the two members 1s permitted. The innercup member H is then started on arm a3* and a rubber block g isplacedwithin the cup. Another inner cup member h is similarl started onarm 02 engaging in like manner the block g. The unit is then pushed downto innermost position. This operation is then repeated for the block g3whereafter the cups i and I are assembled upon the blocks g and g2 andkeyed on the arms c2 and as", respectively. Out-wardly of the bosses hand H nuts jare. `then threaded home on each of 'the arms whereby eachpair of rubber cups are brought. closer together thereby compressingtherubber blocks. Any desired degree of initial pressure may l ing thefree length of a block.

In operation the extensions as* on the driving member compress therubber blocks g and g ahead of the extensions in the direction ofrotation towards the driven member thereby transmitting the power to thedriven member c. Compression on the blocks g2 and g is released at thistime. When the rotation of'thevelements is vreversed the other pair ofblocks is, of course, under compression to Atransmit the driving forces.Any misaligny ment or angular motion-.ofu the shaft-sis compensated forWithin the blocksfof requirements of standard practice today andV beobtained by varyyielding may be assembled by one man with the use ofonly standard tools.

Various modifications may be made in the number and disposition of theblocks and the arms to which they are secured as well as in theconfiguration of the seat members and no limitation is intended by theillustration or the foregoing description except asiindicated in theaccompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a resilient'coupling, the combination with a pair of shafts, oneof which is to be driven by the other, of arms carried with the shafts,respectively, seats carried with the arms, yielding non-metallicmaterial disposed between the seats, means to secure positively, theyielding material fixedly in the seats and hold it against displacementwith respect thereto, and means to adjust the seats radially withrespect to the axes of the shafts.

2. In a resilient coupling, the combination with a pair vof shafts, oneofwhich is to be driven by the other, of a plurality of arms carriedwith the res ective shafts, removable seats carried withgtiienarms,means to secure the seats to the arms against displacement,

y yielding non-metallic material disposed between the seats, means tosecure positively the yielding material fixedly in the seats and hold itagainst displacement with respect thereto, and means to adjust the seatsradially to vary the compression set up in the non-metallic material. y

3. In a resilient coupling, the combination with a pair of shafts, oneof which is to be 'driven by the other, of a spider formed withdiametrieally disposed arms and means to secure said spider to oneof.the shafts, a second spider formed with diametrically disposed arms andmeans tosecure said spider to the other shaft whereby the arms formedthereon are disposed at right angles to the lirst named arms, seatmembers formed with apertured lugs engaging the arms, respectively,means to position the lugs with respect to the arms whereby respectiveseats oppose one another, yielding non-metallic material disposedbetween the seats, means to secure positively the yielding materialfixedly in the seats and hold it against displacement with respectthereto, and locking meansfor the lugs on the arms.

4. In a resilient coupling, the combination with a pair of shafts, oneof which is to be driven by the other, of a spider formed with `to thearms whereby respective seats oppose ene another, yielding nen-metallicmaterial member carried with the other spider, and disposed between vtheseats, means to secure means to secure the centering device withinpnsitively the yielding material xedly in the the seat with provisionfor relative movement 10 seats and hohl it a ainst displacement withtherewithin.

li respect thereto, loc ingmeans for the lugs This specieation signedthis 7th 'day of en tliearms, and a ball shaped centering de- May, A. D.1925, vice carried with one spider, a spherical seat AUGUST H., LEIPERT.

